4 by Agnes included in exhibition at Catharine Clark Gallery

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This painting, 4 by Agnes, is included in the Hothead Tribute Wall, which features work by represented and invited artists at Catharine Clark Gallery that honor the accomplishments of women-identified artists, activists, and workers. The work is on view online, and hopefully in person at some point soon, as part of Julie Heffernan’s exhibition, Hotheads. On view April 18 – September 5, 2020 Digital opening with video walkthrough and artist’s talk on April 18 from 3 – 4pm Scheduled reception with artist talks and live performance on June 27; details forthcoming.

ABOUT THIS PAINTING:

I first saw Cleo from 5 to 7 by Agnes Varda in 1996 when I became interested in the French New Wave (of which she is the originator). In one scene the main character, Cleo, peruses through a hat shop with mirrors all around her. Intoxicated by her vanity, Cleo moves from hat to hat trying on different personalities. In the hands of another director, she would be judged or made hideous by this display, but Agnes Varda treated her with cool humanity. Varda looked deeper within Cleo, had compassion for her. It was this moment that I fell in love with Varda’s work and searched for it wherever I could (which in the mid ‘90s was not as easy as it is today). Varda viewed her cinematic world with an empathetic eye, discovering the dignity of people, reflecting on herself within her films and finding the love in the objects we keep around us. In these later senses she has been a direct influence on my body of work, Belongings, that this painting is part of. A small tribute to her — the first collection of her earlier films that I could find — cherished, worn, watched and watched again, like old friends aging together. 

What We Want is....

I did not take classes from Ted Purves but his impact on my life was huge. Among those being convincing my wife to go to graduate school at CCA. He and I would usually talk more about music than visual art when we would see one another. I knew Ted more towards the later part of his time with us but every moment he was present, I mean, really present. He still is in so many ways. 

So I made a piece for What We Want is… fundraiser. It’s a tribute to him. From the punk rocker in Illinois to the visionary educator in SF. Join us February 22, 2020 for an auction and one time event to raise funds to create an endowed scholarship in Ted’s name. The Ted  Purves scholarship is an investment in community. It will help keep the visionary spirit of social practice alive and support a deserving student in the graduate program.

More info at: https://www.whatwewantis.com

Check out his music as well: https://breeders-illinoiszenpunks.bandcamp.com

SF Arts Commission PASSPORT - Sanctuary City

I’ll be participating in the 10th and final year of SF Art Commission’s PASSPORT event along with 15 other amazing local artists: Craig Calderwood, Jeffrey Cheung, Michael Hall, Chad Hasegawa, Angela Hennessy, Jay Katelansky, Katie Longua, Phillip Maisel, Alicia McCarthy, Gay Outlaw, Grace Rosario Perkins, Leah Rosenberg, Ron Moultrie Saunders, Eli Thorne, Minoosh Zomorodinia, and special stamps from the estates of Joan Brown and René Yañez. And a bonus stamp by Beatrice L. Thomas aka Black Benatar available at the after-party!

My stamp, Sanctuary City, overlays the 15 national flags from the most common countries of origin for immigrants to San Francisco (based on census data). They are listed them below.

1. Mexico (21%)

2. The Philippines (13%)

3. China excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (12%)

4. India (5%)

5. Vietnam (4%)

6. El Salvador (4%)

7. Hon Kong (3%)

8. Korea (2%)

9. Taiwan (2%)

10. United Kingdom (2%)

11. Canada (2%)

12. Japan (2%)

13. Nicaragua (1%)

14. Guatemala (1%)

15. Germany (1%)

Passport is SFAC Galleries’ signature event that puts the art collecting experience in the hands of the general public! Local artists will be stationed in venues throughout Hayes Valley/Civic Center and Passport attendees can “create” their own limited-edition artist’s book by collecting original, artist-designed stamps in a customized “passport” notebook. Walking throughout Hayes Valley/Civic Center, hundreds of do-it-yourself art collectors will follow a designated route to collect stamps from emerging and established Bay Area artists while discovering small businesses in the neighborhood.

Following the event, join SFAC Galleries for a 10th Anniversary after-party from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. at the SFAC Main Gallery in the Veterans Building.

https://www.sfartscommission.org/calendar/passport-2018-hayes-valleycivic-center